MULTAN- Federal Minister for information Javed Jabbar said the government was determined to free Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan (PBC) from its control. He said boards of governors for both the corporations have also been planned to restore the public confidence on electronic media.

He was addressing farmers and social workers in Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujaabad. He said a television station would be set up in Multan after reviewing its five-year plan. He said it would cover southern Punjab and parts of Sindh and Balochistan. He said Pakistan ranked seventh in population, while it stood at 135th number in media development.

The minister said in Turkey there are 1,600 private radio stations for 60 million population but in Pakistan only 24 stations for 140 million population. Even Indonesia had granted permission for 1,200 radio stations in private sector.

Criticising the cost of newspapers in the country, he said in the neighbouring country they were available at Rs 1.50 to Rs 2. He said the price of newspapers was main hurdle in producing new readers.

Javed Jabbar said media was gagged during democratic governments but the military governments restored the freedom of press. Even Yahya Khan had allowed the politicians to express their point of view on radio and television.

The minister said that almost all institutions were weakened during the last 12 years. However, armed forces and press strengthened more than ever before. He said that the government has never imposed ban on dish antenna and getting information from any channel, while Singapore and Malaysia had restricted the satellite antenna.

The minister said the present government was legislating to restore the freedom of information so that every journalist and citizen could have access to the official record. However, access to some classified information on the pattern of the United States would not be allowed.

He reiterated that Audit Bureau of Circulation was being made autonomous and talks in this regard were in process with All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS). He called upon the NG0s, and CB0s to come forward for establishing radio stations at Tehsil and district level to highlight people’s problems and government would supervise their performance through a broadcasting standard committee/ council comprising elite of the area, intellectuals, etc.